


Charlotte visits the Chalet School

by DaughterOfTheRains



Category: Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 09:11:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1935183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaughterOfTheRains/pseuds/DaughterOfTheRains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A crossover with Charlotte Sometimes, another of my favourite books, with some alternate history. Not only on the Chalet School side. I know the modern part of Charlotte Sometimes was meant to be set in the 1950s, but this updates that to the mid-1970s, by when Charlotte should obviously have left school. It is quite dark. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Teleportation

After her somewhat traumatic time travelling adventures in the 1st term of boarding school, Charlotte Makepeace had never wanted anything like that again, especially now she was in the fifth and a form prefect, with her sister Emma a form below. But one very hot summer day in 1975 whilst diving for a brick during a lifesaving session wearing jeans and t-shirt in her London boarding school's outdoor swimming pool, the bottom suddenly opened up as the other girls and mistress watched in horror. She was in a dormitory in the Chalet School, in the Tyrol in 1941, a slightly different one. Thanks to the death of Hitler by a random bomber in Munich, the Nazi takeover of Austria had never been attempted, with an agreement signed instead. Like in Germany, the Austrian fascist-style regime resembled the Spanish one, only slightly more liberal than either. The school was allowed to remain and not forced to speak only German, but all teaching was quite strictly government-controlled and subject to periodical inspections. Even French democracy was very precarious and there were international tensions. The staff were seriously considering moving to England.  
It was the early evening, and very sticky after a long summer day. Thekla Von Stift had just been permitted to come upstairs due to a summer cold, looking for a handkerchief. She was not altogether pleased to see Charlotte, who had somehow shed her modern clothes for the brown CS uniform.

"What on earth are you doing here, I've never seen you before?"

"Oh sorry, I'm Lottie from a 1970s English school, this is very weird"

"So it is. You had better see the headmistress immediately"

Thekla frogmarched Charlotte down to the Head's room, where she was just finishing her after-dinner kaffee and listening to classical music on a bulky radio set.

Mlle. Lepâttre looked amazed as well and said nothing. Charlotte was struggling to maintain her composure.

Thekla introduced her, in heavily accented English.

“This is Charlotte, she appeared here from nowhere and claims to be from the future”. Lottie introduced herself.

“What is your school like?”

“It’s a nice place really, we even have a television room now”

“What’s that?”

“Like the radio, but with pictures as well as words broadcast on a screen, in colour now too”

“I’ve vaguely heard of that being invented, the wireless is full of propaganda nowadays. Our school was mostly nice for years, but the fascist takeover has ruined it and we may leave Austria altogether”

“Oh right, I’ve read the Chalet School book where you were already forced out by a full German invasion”

“How strange, we’re trying to stand firm but that would have been intolerable. Anyway, perhaps something has brought you here, you can stay until you find a way to return perhaps”

Thekla demonstrated the curtsey to Charlotte and she repeated, thanking the head before leaving the room.


	2. The First Evening

Thekla, now a prefect, had very nearly got expelled a few years ago, but had been allowed to remain on a final warning. Because she had been able to remain under the school’s influence and realised that the Nazis were not invincible, she had gradually become a somewhat nicer and less stand-offish character, though could still get angry if pushed too far. She now smiled at Charlotte, and explained that it was too late for dinner so they would have to ask for something from the kitchen before bed. Karen the cook was still doing the washing up with a couple of servants, she provided some food and Lottie was surprised how different it was from the often stodgy English meals. Then it was soon bedtime, the fifths went at 10pm.

It wasn't possible to find a dormitory bed immediately, so she was moved to the sickroom. The bed was comfortable and Charlotte soon fell asleep. When she woke somewhat late (it was Saturday), the light was flooding through the windows in a similar but even more intense way to an English summer. There was a view of a road and forested slopes, but the scene was unfortunately spoilt by a group of local Austrian National Guards in grey paramilitary uniforms marching past, as they often did to exercise and show their power. Britain had experienced a lot of strikes, hardships, political disputes recently, but this obviously contradicted her history lessons. The Germanic breakfast of bread, cheese, ham, jam seemed better than a weekend fry-up, the girls were very curious about her future life. It was hard to explain that her world was a different universe where they would have traumatically moved to Wales via Guernsey, but they eventually seemed to get it.

Afterwards there was a lacrosse practice, partly an informal match between St Scholastikas and St Clares house. Lottie was already an experienced player. She even did a good tackle on Cornelia Flower and scored a goal.  
When it was finished though, there was an oddly sombre atmosphere. Seeing Charlotte’s usual mood after a successful match, Thekla grimaced and muttered a German swearword. She initially presumed this was because of the national situation. However, Cornelia explained: “The reason we look so glum is partly because of all the outside pressures, but also because our previous joint head, Miss Annersley was killed by a tram in London. It’s said that Mlle. Lepâttre recovered from her serious illness partly because of religious faith. She and Miss Wilson are topping but not quite the same somehow”

“Sorry about that”

“It’s alright”

They then swam in the lake instead of baths, very refreshing in the heat. Lottie had done a geography project on Austria and it seemed to be very similar, just without modern changes.  
On the walk back, they were discussing another possible walk up the highest mountain, the Tiernjoch in the company of a mountain guide.

Jo commented “Dangerous isn't it, especially that very narrow ledge and you never know with the weather even in summer”

“Yes but the view is amazing. Would you come, Charlotte?” said Robin.

“Perhaps, I’ve only ever climbed Helvellyn in England, that gets narrow enough”


	3. Swimming

“What is your Britain like in 1975?”

“It’s not especially nice, we finally beat Hitler’s Germany in WW2 and Austria is a democracy in the European Community. Unfortunately Russia has created the Iron Curtain over Eastern Europe, Germany is divided into democratic west and communist east. But there are many industrial disputes in Britain, long power cuts, it’s very divided really”

“We sometimes have electricity problems if winter snow affects the lines. Also a few pupils have been abused by the paramilitaries while just going for a run. I hope they don’t resort to physical assault or anything”

They went into the changing room and removed their swimming costumes, which to Charlotte again seemed old-fashioned/uncomfortable. Mittagessen was another surprise. Then, having the weekend mostly free, they went to the prefects’ room and played ludo fairly equally in ability with each other. Biddy O’Ryan however was quite angry because she had recently been confined to the school grounds after/climbing out on to the roof one night to do some. She suddenly swept in and overturned the board, scattering the pieces.

“That’ll show you", she said.

Both Lottie and Robin were shocked and annoyed.

“What on earth are you playing at?” was their collective response, with some coarser words.

“You must help pick up the pieces and write 200 lines, I must not do such idiotic pranks”, said Robin.

“Alright” said Biddy, looking chastened and left the room.

The two girls discussed the discipline problems with the lower forms at their schools, they seemed to be much the same. Cornelia turned up again, and they played a threesome game of draughts. This Charlotte won 2-1, though she wasn't so good at card games. Both accepted theirs wins/losses gracefully, it was soon time for Abendessen  
and bedtime. Then back to the sickroom to sleep, tomorrow was Sunday.

They got up at 9am, unlike weekdays. After breakfast, there was the weekly church service, now held entirely in the school hall. This could no longer be separated between Protestant and Catholic pupils, because the Austrian government’s variety of fascism was so closely related to Catholicism. The state now seemed to be becoming increasingly paranoid about this, even sent one or two local guards to oversee it. The sanatorium on the Sonnalpe had suffered even worse, expropriation and forced Germanisation. Only the British doctors Jem, Jack, and Edward (Wells) remained, it was now operating with just a few patients, out of a largish shed in the grounds.  
Somewhat to her annoyance, Charlotte found herself next to Biddy and they whispered a little.

“Why did you need to spoil our game”

“Oh I was really annoyed about being kept in when the weather is so splendid. Though  
I’d honestly rather be in Ireland or England, it’s not that nice being here anymore”

“I see”

They went up for communion and Biddy got a sharp rebuke from Thekla for making the v-sign at one of the outsiders. In the afternoon there was sewing and letter writing, in the large common room shared by all forms except the sixth. Lottie was hardly able to write a letter, though she wondered what Clare Moby from her previous adventure would have been like had she not died of flu just after the First World War. The other girls sewed much better, it being far less important in the 1970s. They had another radio in here, larger than the head’s one. Charlotte’s German wasn't that good, but she caught something about Germany’s increasing willingness to attack France for direct revenge in the west. They had already taken over the entire Polish coast and some way inland, wanting mainly only to restore the pre-1914 borders but were still angry with the French and it seemed Austria was willing to join them. The sky was then suddenly overcast and rain/thunder/lightning reverberated across the valley as the girls observed it.


	4. Jo Pops In

Looking out of the window, Charlotte suddenly observed a small figure clad in a cape.

"Oh, that's probably Alixe Von Elsen" said Gillian Linton.

"She's an idiot, seems to have a weird liking for being out in storms"

"Unless one of the staff catches her, we won't do anything. It's her own fault if she catches cold. Swimming in the lake during a storm is nice but it's been strictly banned since Emmie Linders got struck by lightning and killed last summer, sad"

"That's a shame, my sister Emma is in the form below and still occasionally does stupid things. I caught her smoking in the washroom but could only really tell her off firmly. We've both had very weird time-travel adventures before. One summer when we were at the village school, we met a strange boy who taught all the village children to fly. Eventually he became more sinister and wanted to take us all permanently to another world. Thankfully I convinced him otherwise. Then in a very snowy winter, Emma and the wimpiest boy at the village school apparently ultimately somehow travelled right back to the beginning of the world and back! Meanwhile, in my first term at boarding school, I was suddenly pushed back 40 years to the same school in 1918, just before the end of the Great War. Was really scared it was going to be permanent, but eventually got back. The girl Clare who was supposedly my sister then was unlucky though, died of flu in the post-war epidemic. I'll tell you the full story later, it's complicated"

"Bizarre, what are you doing here then?"

"Goodness knows but I've read several Chalet School books, they're very popular"

Charlotte was slightly missing the prefect badge normally pinned to her blue school jumper. She was no bully, just occasionally gave lines or whatever.  
Then the door opened again, and a familiar face appeared.  
"It's Joey!", exclaimed everyone else.

"Yes, I was out for a long walk and dropped in to get out of the rain on the way back to Scholastika”

She looked at at Lottie in surprise. “Who’s that?”  
She explained to Joey, who introduced herself and the history of the school.

“I caught that scamp Alixe dripping wet with a bathing costume underneath. Gave her a good lecture but doubt it will have much effect. I hope she doesn't do anything even more serious.”

Joey explained that she was going to Innsbruck tomorrow for shopping, and would Charlotte like to come with her after morning lessons.

“Oh, yes please”

The others were not especially envious, partly because they’d all been there so much before.  
Then Lottie went to matron, who had made up a bed for her in Pinewoods, St Clares house, the very one she had arrived by. All the houses had become fully mixed among forms under the new system, it now worked well enough. Because of the loss of several pupils, there was space available. She fell asleep half expecting to wake up back in England in the same way as before. It was different though, and when she woke up for breakfast at 7am, it seemed clear that she was going to be at the Chalet School for a while.

She was on a table with Alixe, and chatted to her. Charlotte thought she seemed quite nice.  
Put into the lower fifth group, the first lesson was French. It seemed difficult because everything was so old-fashioned and unfamiliar. It was a French-speaking day, at least she spoke that reasonably well, being in an O level class. Then English, where they were surprisingly discussing her favourite poem, Lars Porsena of Clausium. Double maths was almost impossible, then Biology where they disected a frog.


	5. A Visit to Innsbruck

After lunch Joey pulled up outside the main door in Dr Jem’s runabout. Lottie jumped in and the car moved down the drive past the rose bushes to the main road. The lake was very calm, she was too impressed with the scenery to speak as they quickly reached Seespitz. The train for the small mountain railway was waiting at the platform, they jumped into the open carriages. The ride was too bumpy for much conversation, but Jo explained in more detail how the Chalet School was founded and it’s connections to the Sonnalpe. She also admitted that she sometimes missed her original location, despite it’s beauty, did’nt necessarily want to spend her whole life in Austria.

The train reached Spärtz, as they walked to the main Bahnhof, both girls were shocked to see a swastika painted on a wall. 

‘The police should arrest the Nazis sooner or later, or maybe not’

‘Lets hope so’ 

The Innsbruck train was 15 minutes late and very crowded. 

‘Not the usual Teutonic efficiency’, Jo commented.

Most of the people in the compartment just looked like Tyrolean peasants or their wives, but a small woman with wirey hair concerned Joey, she was a suspected Nazi spy who had eavesdropped pupils at the start of term. 

‘Do be careful what you say’

‘Ok’

‘Anyway, you should meet Rufus, he’s a splendid dog’

‘I’m usually more of a cat person, our school cat knows me well, I’ve often fed him’

‘I don’t know much about cats, though a large black female has occasionally been seen in the grounds. Mice are definitely a problem, perhaps we could do with one’

For the rest of the journey, they talked about lacrosse, hockey, other games.


	6. A Nasty Incident

After lunch Joey pulled up outside the main door in Dr Jem’s runabout. Lottie jumped in and the car moved down the drive past the rose bushes to the main road. The lake was very calm, she was too impressed with the scenery to speak as they quickly reached Seespitz. The train for the small mountain railway was waiting at the platform, they jumped into the open carriages. The ride was too bumpy for much conversation, but Jo explained in more detail how the Chalet School was founded and it’s connections to the Sonnalpe. She also admitted that she sometimes missed her original location, despite it’s beauty, did’nt necessarily want to spend her whole life in Austria.

The train reached Spärtz, as they walked to the main Bahnhof, both girls were shocked to see a swastika painted on a wall. 

‘The police should arrest the Nazis sooner or later, or maybe not’

‘Lets hope so’ 

The Innsbruck train was 15 minutes late and very crowded. 

‘Not the usual Teutonic efficiency’, Jo commented.

Most of the people in the compartment just looked like Tyrolean peasants or their wives, but a small woman with wirey hair concerned Joey, she was a suspected Nazi spy who had eavesdropped pupils at the start of term. 

‘Do be careful what you say’

‘Ok’

‘Anyway, you should meet Rufus, he’s a splendid dog’

‘I’m usually more of a cat person, our school cat knows me well, I’ve often fed him’

‘I don’t know much about cats, though a large black female has occasionally been seen in the grounds. Mice are definitely a problem, perhaps we could do with one’

For the rest of the journey, they talked about lacrosse, hockey, other games.


	7. The Cat

The headmistress was disturbed at the news of what had happened, somewhat fearful for the future of the school. Both girls went more or less straight to bed and slept well despite some ugly nightmares. The next monday, Lottie was sitting next to Gillian, listening to Miss Wilson talking about osmosis. A note was passed from someone on the other side of the laboratory, enquiring about Charlotte's ordeal, she carefully responded.  
At the end of the lesson, they streamed along the corridor for breaktime Kaffee. Biddy and Alixe were abusing each other's countries, Robin and Charlotte jointly stopped them.

"Oh dear, we can do without that kind of thing here"

"Indeed yes, though I would'nt like to see Britain overrun by foreigners"

"I'll speak to the head anyway, try and sort something out"

Robin and Mademoiselle eventually decided that Doctor Heinrich Eben, one of the few remaining pro-democrat lecturers at Innsbruck University, would address the whole school about international peace.

The hall was full, the sun bright through the windows as Dr. Eben addressed the pupils on the importance of the League of Nations  
and avoiding war at all costs. Unlike Germany, Austria was still in the league, but the more extreme right elements in the government wanted to leave it. Most of the pupils paid little attention to the earnest lecture, but some were worried.  
Afterwards, Charlotte and Hilary went for a brief walk in the grounds before lunch. As they passed a clump of rose bushes, a rather hefty black cat suddenly appeared, with it's tail up and a hostile expression. Hilary, knowing dogs well, bent down to stroke it, but it decided to go for her. The animal bit her arm, went towards her face, thankfully Lottie pulled it off and shooed the beast.

"That's funny Hilary, cats are normally nice, especially females"

"Perhaps it's a fascist"

They both laughed. Hilary's arm was bleeding anyway.

"I better go to Matron"

"Well yes"


	8. At the Sonnalpe

Matey’s room was very small, with a view of the lake. She had seen so many similar wounds before, but it was extremely difficult to get Hilary’s to stop bleeding. She had to use much surgical spirit and a tight bandage before plastering the injury, then wanted to know how it had occured in the first place.

“I’ve seen that animal and it’s odd behaviour, perhaps it had rabies”

"Hopefully not, it's a killer disease"

“Thanks for shooing the animal, Charlotte”

“That’s ok”

At that moment a couple of mice scurried past just as Miss Wilson appeared.

“That’s not good, we really should consider getting a decent cat. Not like that unpleasant one (Hilary had explained her arm)”

They went off to lunch, for veal and apple pie with cream.  
A few days later, Lottie was invited to tea with Joey and her children. Rufus greeted her as a friend, she stroked him heavily.

“What do you think of the Chalet School?”

“It seems very nice really”

“Yes, I hope we don’t have to flee suddenly”

“That’s exactly what happened in my world”

“Oh dear”

“This house used to be a boarding school as well, but it was very different, frankly much inferior”

“My school is pretty good, but it’s in London and noisy aeroplanes constantly fly over”

“I suppose air travel will become universal eventually, ships take so long to get anywhere”

“It’s a shame about what happened in Innsbruck, it’s always been an attractive place. Salzburg is even more so really”

“I liked it until the end, was horrible”

Jo showed her some pictures of the school’s last visit to Salzburg.

“Once we were staying in a hotel there and it caught fire in the night. That was really bad”

“A stupid girl burnt down our wooden games shed, she was expelled. Also, it was really weird. In 1918, during my last time travel adventure, there was a beatiful church by the River Thames. In my own time, it was sadly all ruined and burned out, apparently because of wartime bombing”

“Oh that sounds weird. The Chalet School has always had more than it’s fair share of mischief. I did some of it in the early days”

Then they drove up to the Sonnalpe with Dr Jack to look at the view and go for a short walk. The former san was now disused and starting to look dillapidated. Fortunately there were no  
paramilitaries around, it was peaceful as Charlotte admired the sunset over the valley.

“You should see it in winter, all covered in snow and ice”

“We don’t get nearly enough snow in Britain, not down south anyway”

When they got back Hilary seemed fine, though as Jack explained any symptoms of rabies would’nt develop for some time.  
According to the newspapers, all the men involved in the Innsbruck attack had been imprisoned, apart from the two from the Tiernsee, whom it was suspected might have taken to the mountains. Later that evening, Kitty Burnett, Betty Wynne-Davies, and others, decided to have a vigorous pillow fight. They got order marks, Lottie had issued plenty of those before. Having drunk so much coffee, she did’nt get to sleep quite immediately.  
There was nearly a full moon outside.


	9. Charlotte and Alixe

Charlotte slept peacefully. That Sunday, there were a somewhat increased number of the local guards at prayers, one of them was heard to protest against the anti-war sermon. That kind of thing had happened at the Chalet School in recent times. She was disturbed by that, nearly choked on the communion wafer. Afterwards she went swimming in the lake again. Then she was given permission to have a walk to the dripping rock, alone with Alixe. Amongst other things, Lotte found out that both Thekla and her lived in rural eastern Pomerania, within a few miles of each other.

“I wanted the Weimar republic to continue, whereas Thekla supported the Nazis. Though she’s probably changed her views now after all thats happened”

“The former was a disaster, our history lessons explained why. Even east (communist) Germany is smaller now, most of Pomerania is Poland in my world. After the war, nearly all the Germans were harshly removed from the eastern areas. Perhaps reunification of Germany will happen someday, I hope peace will prevail”

“The eastern Baltic is a nice landscape, nothing like here. The sea is colder in summer than the Tiernsee, but it would be a shame if we were kicked out”

They came to the dripping rock, it poured water over Charlotte’s head, she was’nt familiar.  
Alixe nearly slipped into the lake, Lotte caught her, thankfully because the school  
would’nt have been pleased. On the way back there was a different black and white cat hunting mice in the undergrowth. It kept it’s distance, allowed brief stroking, but was’nt  
agressive. When they got back, Alixe almost immediatedly went off with Biddy, she was’nt used to such intimacy with an older pupil.

The next day, Miss Wilson’s science lesson had several difficult maths problems, touched briefly on the looping nature of time and space. Charlotte found it even harder than her O Level syllabus. After double french, Mlle. Lepâttre asked how she was getting on.

“I’m ok thanks, despite the strangeness of being here. Like the hot weather”

“That’s good, I’m from Caen in Northern France where summers are unpredictable”

A few days later, it was very hot, touching 90 degrees. The headmistress had agreed to a climb up the Tiernjoch on the condition that two guides constantly be there.


	10. Climbing the Tiernjoch

They set off at 6.30am, it was relatively cool. The group consisted of Betty, Thekla, Hilary, Charlotte, Robin, and Jo, guided by Gottfried Mensch and Herr Marani. Both promised to get them back safely.  
As they went along the road, there was a group of guards practising their marching. They were young though, had no weapons. Thekla and Lottie gladly helped push two of them onto the grass verge, they were annoying. Soon the girls were moving through the pine-scented woods, then the grassy alm. At the shepherd’s hut, Gottfried bought some  
very creamy milk. Charlotte politely accepted, but really longed for water, she was glad to pass a stream soon after.  
The ground was becoming increasingly rocky and barren, with a sheer drop to the right of the narrow path, a rocky wall on the left. Lotte found this disturbing, but the sun remained high in the sky with clear visibility. The view from the summit with it’s memorial cross was very impressive, they had sandwiches and lemonade.  
Then the fog unfortunately suddenly descended, they could barely see an inch ahead.

“We must immediately feel the ground, crawl on all fours towards the right side”, said  
Herr Marani.

“Alright” said the others, worrying greatly and saying a prayer. They put the food waste into their knapsacks, bent down, crawled for ages under constant directions of “keep right!” from their guides. Eventually the mist cleared, the rest was perfectly safe, quite slow, with the Tiernsee dark blue in the moonlight by the time they got back. The Headmistress was impressed by that, the first group to climb the TiernJoch though Jo and Herr Marani had done it before, the walkers fell into bed.

The next day, Betty and Hilary skipped the prayers, just sat outside in the sun.

“Do you care about religion now?"

“Not especially, anymore"

“How’s your biology going?"

“It’s ok"

As senior pupils, no-one especially cared.  
The cat’s wound was still visible on Hilary’s arm, but it did’nt look or feel infected.

The others went, where it was announced that Germany and Austria had allied with Hungary ,Romania, others, against the west and stopped all international co-operation, no war as such.  
The nasty person from Innsbruck was there, he glared at Charlotte, but also looked kind of pathetic behind his uniform, appeared to rush off.  
Afterwards, a crocodile went for it’s regular walk along the lakeside with Lottie, Thekla, Hilary, and Robin at the head, accompanied by Dr Jem. It all seemed the same as ever unil they passed one of the many hotels along the shore, it was also a pub where the doctor had had an occasional beer.


	11. The Battle

They were heading towards Torteswald. The local paramilitary headquarters was on the right just before entering the place.  
This made some of the schoolgirls angry as they passed it, Alixe and Biddy threw two stones, which broke a window. The enemies all came rushing out, thankfully with only one gun held by their commander. Gillian was right at the front and got shot fatally in the chest.  
Louise and Hilary both caught a painful bullet in the leg but survived.  
Then there was a battle with stones, fists and ducking.  
Jem and Edward killed the gunholder, through punching, kicking, and disarming. Enid gave a young enemy a bloody nose. Lottie rugby-tackled her and Jo's adversary into the lake who wanted to attack Alixe and Kitty, he could'nt swim and drowned. The school gained the upper hand.

Thekla and Robin led the remaining party, who sprinted back to the chalet. Both legs were disinfected and patched up. Gillians's body was quickly brought back by the doctors in the car.  
There was a large sandpit behind Le Petit Chalet, which had been installed a few terms ago for the junior school to play in. Her body was hurriedly declothed and buried there with some Catholic rites. The radio announced that Austria, allied with Germany, Hungary and Romania, was at war with the west and Russia. They had begun invading France, the Low Countries and the rest of Poland.  
Addressing the group in most danger including a white-faced Bill, the head said:

"The authorities have hopefully been distracted a bit by the declaration of war. You'd better make a run for it now, good luck!"

Most staff/pupils had valid passports, but Kitty's had expired and there was perhaps no time to sort it out with the British consul. She wanted to go with the group anyway. 

"We could get some chalk dust from the art room, to disguise people?" said Jo. She had come to talk about Napoleon to the fifths.

Jem did that, and powdered their faces. There was'nt much chance of rain washing it off at that time of year. Charlotte put on her dirndl skirt. Grizel briefly longed for her days at Taverton High but was also going with them. She remembered a stock of Tyrolean dress that had sometimes been used for various events when Austria still seemed permanently safe. Then fetched the costume from the drama cupboard, they put it on.  
Gottfried Mensch rushed up to accompany them, he'd been lurking in the doctors' shed. He went back to dust his face, and put on his own lederhosen and other items.  
Then they would somehow have to get out of the country.  
The Swiss border was distant and partly blockaded according to the radio, they did'nt want to risk it. But Italy remained neutral, Mussolini hadn't yet seen any point in war.  
So they passed the rose garden, and headed out into Briesau for the last time, with rucksacks on their backs, containing a couple of tents, cans of soup and corned beef, a portable stove, pebbles for defence in their pockets if needed. 

By now Mlle. Lepâttre was looking really upset.  
The whole school said prayers before most exited through the front door and congregated on the lawn.  
She left to phone the local charabanc company and get them to come in a few hours, also Madge at the Sonnalpe.  
Soon afterwards, unfortunately some police arrived from Spärtz and demanded to speak to the head.

"Where have they gone?", said the commander angrily.

"I'm not saying" she said firmly, in German.

"If you don't tell me, we'll arrest you"

Thinking quickly, she replied: "They're probably hiding somewhere around the school, I don't know exactly where"

"Oh right, you are French?" said the Policeman noticing her accent, as he took her details.

That seemed to have the desired effect, he and his companions went to search the whole place while two guarded her in her own office.  
Eventually the others came back, looking grim.

"If you were Austrian or German, we might think of shooting you though in truth we would rather avoid the most extreme brutalities of the Nazi regime in Germany, and you would certainly be arrested and deeply questioned. But as it is, you must all pack up and leave the country within a week. Heil Goebbels" said the leader, giving the Nazi greeting (Goebbels had become ruler of Germany after a power struggle when Hitler was killed).

"Very well" replied the head grimly.

The police departed, though they would come back to surround the grounds. 

Speaking in slow careful French in case they should hear, she said:

"We're facing a crisis, do take pride and courage in being part of the school", said Mlle. Lepâttre from the dais with the remaining prefects beside her as they all assembled in the hall for the last time after she'd rescheduled the transport.

"The Italian border seems the best idea, most of you may then be able to travel by train into France, ultimately England. Hopefully we will eventually be able to reopen there, but must perhaps permanently say goodbye to all the pupils who live on the continent, and wish them well. I think we should now make a gesture of peace together"

Getting a stack of form registers out of her bag, "Now everyone please come up and sign this"

The head did'nt write anything else on it in case she got searched on the journey. They all did that and prayed for the safety of the others (not surprisingly avoiding saying their names), then she said:

"No-one is to go outside for safety reasons, and everyone including the prefects will be supervised by a mistress at all times until we get out of here"

The pupils then went for Kaffee und Kuchen before lessons resumed for the rest of the day.  
Mlle Lepâttre had another stiff drink, wondering how the war would affect things and pondering that almost everything would have to be left behind, then rang up or wired, the latter from the Hotel Post, all the parents or guardians who could be contacted. There was no more worry about the phone bill anyway. Miss Stewart came in.

"Do you want to come and start looking what can or can't be taken from the library?" she said.

"Yes, the other mistresses should select a few books as well"

The next week was grim. Madge and Jo were there inbetween packing up at the Sonnalpe. Everyone at the school was on edge and not in a good temper. The remaining European pupils were gradually picked up or otherwise left, while those that couldn't be would head for England. Everything including prep continued until the very last day, when to their relief they were finally sent to pack. Despite some sadness, they really just wanted out now, there was no further ceremony. Madge and Jo had left Rufus with the Pfeifens, stroking and patting a lot though he did seem quite pleased to be reunited with Zita.

On the very last day she walked out of Die Rosen, along the shelf to take a final look at everything. The sun was quite high already, and the Tiernsee splendidly blue. She regretted what was being lost, and wondered whether she'd ever return before returning to the two cars.  
Joey was driving the large former san car with Madge and the children, who had been dosed a bit to calm them down.  
At Innsbruck they abandoned the car, and went to the station buffet.

Meanwhile at the school, the charabancs arrived and were quickly loaded. The head considered taking the statue of the virgin above the door but thought it should remain. They left for the last time and met Madge and the others at the station to catch the train.  
They'd have to take a more roundabout route than before because of the invasion. First a semi-fast train across the Brenner, then an express to Narbonne. Finally one of the still running expresses to Paris and Boulogne. Then, they hoped, one of the last boat trains across the channel.  
As they passed through southern France, Cornelia leant out of the window for some time to admire the steam, not dangerously.


	12. Escape

“Perhaps we should get some chalk dust from the art room, to disguise people” said Jo.

Jem did that, powdered their faces. There was'nt much chance of rain washing it off at that time of year. Charlotte put on her dirndl skirt. Madge briefly longed for her days at Taverton High, remembered a stock of Tyrolean dress that had sometimes been used for dance evenings when Austria still seemed permanently safe.  
She fetched the costume from the acting cupboard, they put it all on and headed out into Briesau for the last time, with rucksacks on backs, containing a couple of tents, cans of soup/corned beef, a portable stove, pebbles for defence in their pockets if needed.  
They passed the rose garden, Gottfried Mensch rushed out to accompany them, he’d been lurking in the doctors’ shed. He went back to dust his face, and put on his own lederhosen and other items.  
Then down the drive, onto the lakeside road, moving fairly quickly.  
Taking the direct Spärtz road would clearly be too risky, so  
they branched left up the mountain pass. As they climbed, the air got thinner and  
colder. Most of the girls were OK , but Charlotte was soon in serious trouble, unused to such high altitude/stress. She was staggering and breathing heavily.

“Are you alright?”

“Well no”

Madge and Alixe gave her emergency respiration, the Guides had taught them that.  
Then they stopped to drink from a pure stream. There was no problem as they  
passed the hamlet of Stal except another angry-looking goat tethered outside a house. When they moved onto the main road towards Innsbruck,  
it was more dangerous because even the mostly anti-nazi Austrian police were annoyed with them, a semi-wide search had been initiated.  
So they decided to avoid the town, turned off at the Weerberg junction which eventually led to the Brenner road.  
It was the hottest time of day with everyone sweating, a police car passed at speed, they dived into the bushes. It stopped a few yards later, contained two policeman, one was the partner of the killed Tiernsee paramilitary. Jem’s fist soon went into his face, he fell unconscious, the other retreated under a hail of stones and drove back down the Brenner road. The sun had now almost disappeared.

“Turn left, everyone”. Gottfried knew a rarely used path through the southern Tyrol to the border, from a climbing trip years ago.

“This tent peg won’t go in”, said Alixe and Biddy.

“We’ll do it"

Lottie and Grizel hammered it into the ground together, the camp was pitched.


	13. Crossing the Border

Their campsite was located well off the main road, in an obscure location by a rushing stream.  
They improvised a meal of heated tinned goulasch, slept peacefully afterwards. Though Charlotte dreamed about her awful experience with the seance, when she had especially feared being forever trapped in a previous world. When they woke up, she was still rather white-faced.

“Are you alright?” said Gottfried.

“Yes I’m ok, just had a bad dream about my last time-travel experience”

“Don’t know about that. It’s sad what’s happened to Germany and Austria, both  
developed countries”

“Yes, my nation is’nt perfect”

“The springwater tastes good, do you want some?”

“Yeah”

Alongside everyone else, Lotte cupped her hands for a good drink from the stream  
after breakfast of ham, cheese, black bread, and black coffee on the stove. Jo complained about the lack of whiter bread and milky coffee, but the others told her to shut up. They removed the tents and moved on, up an increasingly steep path. At one point they were going across an alm, the usual cattle with bells. A man came out of a hut and shouted some rude German words, the group just sprinted on.

The mountains were becoming more jagged, the air colder as they neared the border. There were a few posts to mark it. Here at one of the highest border crossings, there was thankfully no-one except a goat, they passed into Italy. The Dolomites were somewhat more dangerous than the Austrian Alps, they had to avoid various hazards, before reaching lower ground again.  
Eventually they were all siiting in a cafe in Riva with the Italian equivalent of Kaffee und Kuchen, before heading for the Mediterranean coast.


	14. Charlotte's Return

“Phew” said Biddy as she finished her last biscotti, looking at Jo.

“That was pretty dire, at least we’re safe now”

Hilary burst into tears again over Gillian’s death, Louise and others comforted her.  
Even the two doctors decided to get another small beer from the bar.

Lottie suggested to Jem “We should have a swim in the lake”

“Why not?”

Everyone had bathing costumes in their rucksacks. They walked to the edge of Lake Garda and changed somewhat indecently, the water was cold but refreshing. Jo ducked Charlotte for a joke but quickly released her. Alixe and Biddy did the same with each other.  
Hilary practised her strokes. Afterwards it was still fairly early, they’d already stayed in a hotel for the night. So the group decided to do some sightseeing in the town.  
They went round the museum which had once been used as barracks for the Austrian Army,  
the belfry, other sights. The sun was now just beginning to get hot, they wanted to get out.Unfortunately there was no railway station, it had closed in 1936.  
Miss Wilson’s knowledge of Italian was useful in understanding the bus timetable on the main street, she had to ask directions to get to the bus station itself.  
Eventually a bus pulled up, with all windows open. After that, an express train to Livorno.  
By then, the sun was even more burning than it had been in the Tyrol. Hilary’s wound from the cat had’nt entirely healed, it seemed painful again. Alixe too was flagging.

“Do you need some water”, said Gottfrried.

“Yes please, I’m parched”

He went in to a nearby grocer and chemist, got some water and more disinfectant cream for  
Hilary, quickly applied to her skin. Kitty had taken a tourist guide from the school  
library, it said that there were no good beaches in the city. Therefore they caught a train  
to Castiglioncello and walked through the pines to the beach, liking the salty air.

At this resort, there was a lavatory block where they all changed, the  
sandy beach was full of families and children.  
Charlotte now sensed that this was the end of her visit to the Chalet School world.  
They got iced lemonades from the kiosk.

“Think I’m almost finished here now, thanks for having me”

“Thank you for saving some of our lives” they said collectively

Lottie blushed, she was almost crying.

“Goodbye, I liked knowing you”

They shook hands/kissed cheeks.

“Shall we go for a swim?”, said Jem.

They went across the sand, the sea was again refreshing, all swam  
quite a way out. They lay on their backs for a while, there were no dangerous currents.  
Eventually Lottie dived under, practised her tumble turns. As she did so,  
the environment gradually changed from sea to swimming pool tiles.  
Back at her school, the girls were just getting out after the lesson, only a  
moment had passed. She hugged Emma and promised to tell her everything that had happened. It was strange to wake up in the Cedar dormitory again, but she quickly returned  
to the usual school life. The headmistreess Miss Bowser and others were confused for a while by her references to things that had’nt been studied.

Years later, in 2010, Charlotte (lottemädchen) was sitting at her PC, monitoring the instant messenger. Suddenly a friend request appeared from alixe1925_uk.

“Are you really the same person, you must be pretty old now?”

“That’s right. After you disappeared into the sea, we had rather expected it. Got various trains to Calais, then a boat”

“Sadly it was torpedoed halfway by the Germans, but it was'nt a direct hit, all girls and staff survived. We were picked up by a British navy ship. Those who stayed behind to move the furniture all later got to England safely”

“That’s good”

“In my world, the war eventually ended with a victory for the west. It look a long time  
and resulted in a division of Europe which was’nt removed for many years, Germany did  
retain it’s eastern provinces along a heavily militarised border with Poland”

“Fairly similar then really, what happened to the Chalet School?”

“Madge did’nt want to risk any more submarines, so she re-established it in the Welsh borders. For the same reason, there was no return to Europe except a recently established finishing school in Switzerland. It still exists as a trilingual school, with a nearby prep branch”


End file.
